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Leiden University Admissions 2025: Application Deadline, Requirements & Costs

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#63 in World

#4 in Netherlands

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Dark Clock Icon Last updated on 25 Nov '25

Leiden University Admissions
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International undergraduate and graduate applicants can take Leiden University admission in the Spring and Fall semesters. The Leiden University application deadline for UG and PG programs is given below:

Undergraduate deadline:

  • Spring: Oct 15, 2025
  • Fall: Closed

Graduate deadline:

  • September semester: Closed
  • Feb semester: Oct 15, 2025 (if needed visa/ residence permits); Nov 15, 2025 (If don’t)
Leiden University Admissions
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Leiden University Admission Overview 2025

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   Is Leiden University hard to get into?
A: 

With 30% acceptance rate, Leiden University can be considered one of toughest universities in Netherlands to enter. Low percentage shows that the university follows positive approach where it considers several factors such as a strong academic profile, motivation letter, LOR and English language requirements. Students must perform exceptionally well in academics and submit all the mandatory documents to improve their chances.

Q:   What does Leiden University specialize in?
A: 

Leiden University offers 48 bachelor's programs and more than 100 postgraduate programs. Some popular courses are Biomedical Science, Clinical Neuropsychology, Chemistry, Industrial Ecology, Astronomy and Data Science, Drug Discovery and Safety, Sustainability, Business and Pubic sector,  and more. Students can check the table below for Leiden University specializations along with the US News rankings:

Popular specializations

US News Rankings 2025

Space Science

#7

Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, and Medical Imaging

#10

Surgery

#29

Microbiology

#53

Endocrinology and Educational Research

#82

Leiden University Courses & Fees 2025

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What GPA do you need to get into Leiden University?
A: 

Leiden University expects minimum GPA of 3.2 on 4 point scale from international students. Along with GPA score, students must take care of various factors while deciding to enter the university. They must have completed 2 years of university studies and have relevant experience in course they are applying for. Students must show their English language requirements by submitting the scores of IELTS and TOEFL.

Q:   How much does Leiden University cost for Indian students?
A: 

For Indian Students, Leiden University annual tuition fee ranges between INR 2 L - INR 16 L for UG programs, and INR 7 L - INR 20 L for PG programs. The annual tuition fee for some of the courses of Leiden Uni are given below: 

Courses

1st Year Tuition Fees

B.E. / B.Tech (2 courses)

INR 12 L - 17 L

B.Sc. (1 course)

INR 13 L

B.A. (13 courses)

INR 2 L - 15 L

MS (78 courses)

INR 17 L - 20 L

M.A. (91 courses)

INR 8 L - 20 L

LL.M. (13 courses)

INR 14 L - 20 L

M.Sc. (4 courses)

INR 18 L - 20 L

MBA/PGDM (4 courses)

INR 18 L - 20 L

Q:   What IELTS score is required for Leiden University?
A: 

Leiden University expects a minimum score of 6.5 or above in IELTS. Along with this, international applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate their English language proficiency. The university recommends students to achieve the following minimum scores in any one of the English exams:

English Exams Accepted

Recommended Score

TOEFL iBT

90 or above

IELTS

6.5 or above

Leiden University Application Deadlines 2025

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Commonly asked questions
On Admissions
Q:   Is Leiden good for international students?
A: 

Leiden University is one of best universities in Netherlands for international students. Along with top rankings and global recognitions, the university is popular for good academic, research and teaching and student community. It offers various programs in fields like Archaeology, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Science and Social and Behavioral Science. The programs include practical learning, in depth knowledge, research opportunities, etc.

Q:   What is the acceptance rate for Leiden University?
A: 

According to unofficial source, Leiden University acceptance rate is 30%. Low percentage shows that the university is bit competitive but follows simple approach during admission. The university prioritises following factors which includes- strong academic record, relevant work experience, motivation letter, English language proficiency, etc. Students who fulfill the basic eligibility and submit the required documents have a high chance of getting selected.

Leiden University MS Admissions 2025

90 courses 1 year - 2 years
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18.2L - 23L

iconEligibility Criteria

  • Accepting Exams: IELTS, PTE, TOEFL
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Commonly asked questions
On MS Admissions
Q:   How many international students are at Leiden University?
A: 

Leiden University accepts applications from over 100 countries. According to an official source, more than 6,000 international students choose Leiden. The reason for their choice is the university's commitment to academic excellence, student satisfaction, high graduation rate, employment rate, and more. Students can check the table below for the Leiden University statistics:

Particulars

Headcount 2022-2023

Total

33,474

International UG

6,000+

International PG

5,000+

Q:   How much is the application fee for Leiden University?
A: 

The Leiden University application fee is EUR 100 for UG and PG students. Students must pay the application fee after filling the application. International students must fulfill the eligibility criteria by holding a Diploma equivalent Dutch pre-university diploma. They must submit mandatory documents, including LORs, academic transcripts, a letter of motivation, CV or resume, motivation letter, along with English language scores.

Leiden University
Application process

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Commonly asked questions
On Application Process
Q:   How many international students are at Leiden University?
A: 

Leiden University accepts applications from over 100 countries. According to an official source, more than 6,000 international students choose Leiden. The reason for their choice is the university's commitment to academic excellence, student satisfaction, high graduation rate, employment rate, and more. Students can check the table below for the Leiden University statistics:

Particulars

Headcount 2022-2023

Total

33,474

International UG

6,000+

International PG

5,000+

Q:   How much is the application fee for Leiden University?
A: 

The Leiden University application fee is EUR 100 for UG and PG students. Students must pay the application fee after filling the application. International students must fulfill the eligibility criteria by holding a Diploma equivalent Dutch pre-university diploma. They must submit mandatory documents, including LORs, academic transcripts, a letter of motivation, CV or resume, motivation letter, along with English language scores.

Leiden University
Students Ratings & Reviews

3.5/5
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Student Views (Based on Reviews)
  • 0% students never faced discrimination in this university
Vibe of Campus
Friendly
Academically oriented
Internships4
Part time work3
Post study jobs2
Quality of faculty4
Student Life4
Value for money2
Public transportation4
Safety5
Indian Food4
Permanent Immigration3
A
AnonymousVerified Icon
Master of Science in Political Science - Batch of 2023
3.5
More opportunities if you are a Dutch speaker.
Tips: There is a bit of cultural transition which one adapts to while living here. I did not opt for any scholarship. I am completely satisfied with the country. A little bit dissatisfied with the course and university. The thesis seminar was very stressful, it could have been organized in a more relaxed manner.
Likes (Safety): Leiden is a safe city in itself, so not a lot of facilities need to be in place. Walking alone at night is not at all concerning as it is absolutely safe most of the time. I did not come across any specific safety measures in the university. But there might be something in place that I don't know about
Dislikes (Post study jobs): There are a lot of companies offering sponsor visas for work but most of them require Dutch-speaking individuals so it's a bit tricky for internationals to get in. It also totally depends on the field of job somebody is looking in. For political science, it can be difficult as a lot of companies, organizations, NGOs are not registered with the government to sponsor visas.
Total Monthly ExpenseEuro 1500
Prepping time for classes10 hours/Week
Expected Annual SalaryEuro 30325
Reviewed on 22 Nov 2023Read more
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Leiden University Admission 2025 FAQs

Q:   Does Leiden University give scholarships for international students?
A: 

Leiden University offers various scholarships to international students. One of most popular scholarships for Indians is Leiden University Excellence Scholarship. To avail this scholarship, students must be international and apply for it in February every year. Some other popular scholarships for international students at Leiden are mentioned below-

  • Minerva Scholarship Fund
  • Faculty-Specific Scholarships
  • Erasmus+ Grants
Q:   How long does Leiden University take to provide an offer letter to international students?
A: 

Leiden University receives thousands of applications from over 100 countries. The university has over 6,000 international students. Choosing a deserving applicant for the courses is quite a time-consuming process as it involves receiving applications, identifying eligible candidates, and sending a response. The university considers students based on their aa strong academic record, relevant work experience, demonstrated motivation, English language proficiency, and more. The whole process can take 4-6 weeks to send a response via email.

Q:   What are the requirements to get into Leiden University?
A: 

Indian students must fulfill the basic criteria and submit all the important documents such as LORs, academic transcripts, CV,  motivation letter and the English test scores. Indian students who want to study at Leiden University must fulfill the requirements mentioned below:

UG requirements:

  • Diploma equivalent to a Dutch pre-university diploma
  • Academic records of secondary and higher education
  • Letter of motivation
  • CV
  • SATor ACT scores
  • Program-specific requirements
  • Transcripts with IB grades
  • English language scores

PG requirements:

  • Relevant UG degree or equivalent from a recognised university with good scores
  • Academic transcripts
  • LOR
  • Letter of motivation
  • Program-specific requirements
  • English language scores
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Comments

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Leiden University

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 4 months ago

IELTS / TOEFL scores are accepted by Leiden Uni. For Master's admission, Indian applicants are required to have a range of IELTS between 6.0 – 7.5 (as required by the course). The TOEFL score range is 80-113. To know the English language requirements for Bachelor's courses, refer to the official web

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I

Ishita Singh

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 months ago

Leiden University Excellence Scholarship is for the students joining full-time Master's programme at the university (with the exception to all Humanities program) and LLM Non-Advanced and MSc Int. Relations and Diplomacy). The students must be among the Top 10% in their previous study program. There

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H

Himanshi Shekhar

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 months ago

In 2026, Leiden University QS ranking is #119. Whereas in 2025, this university ranked at #141. It can be seen that the university's ranking has improved in 2026. Also, as per Times Higher Education rankings, Leiden University world ranking is #73 in 2025. Also, as per U.S. News & World Report, this

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C

Chandra Chaudhary

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 months ago

Many of the courses at Leiden University Netherlands are taught in English language. It offers 16 English-taught courses at the Bachelor's level and 80 courses at the Master's level. So, students aiming for the English taught courses must submit the English language proficiency score. IELTS / TOEFL

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C

Chandra Chaudhary

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 4 months ago

The annual Leiden University tuition fees for Indian students can be between INR 3 L – INR 22 L. Course-Wise as per Shiksha Study Abroad at Leiden can be as follows:

Courses

1st Year Tuition Fees

LL.M. (13 courses)

INR 15 L - 22 L

MS (78 courses)

INR 18 L - 22 L

M.A. (91 courses)

INR 8 L - 22 L

B.A. (13 courses)

INR 3 L - 16 L

M.Sc. (4 courses)

INR 19 L - 21 L

MBA/PGDM (4 courses)

INR 19 L - 21 L

B.E. / B.Tech (2 courses)

INR 12 L - 18 L

B.Arch (1 course)

INR 14 L

Others PG (1 course)

INR 20 L

B.Sc. (1 course)

INR 14 L

A

Anya Aggarwal

Contributor-Level 10

About the author

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Akansha katariya

Study Abroad Expert

Akansha katariya is a content creator at shiksha.com, creating content for study abroad. Having pursued B tech. in Electronics and communication from RGPV University, she has been creating content across diverse domains. When not guiding students, sh...Read Full Bio

Leiden University

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Leiden University
Location

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University CityLeiden, Other - Netherlands, Netherlands
Size of cityMedium
Population of City1,23,856

Leiden University
Contact Information

Address

Rapenburg 70, 2311 EZ Leiden, Netherlands
Leiden ( Other - Netherlands)

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